Jennifer Schuller named next president of Lake Erie College

Jun. 16—The Lake Erie College Board of Directors has hired Jennifer Schuller to be the institution's next president, a role that she will begin on July 1.

The school announced the decision in a June 15 news release. Schuller currently serves as the institution's Vice President of Advancement, a role that she has held since late 2021.

"Under Schuller's leadership as Vice President for Advancement, Lake Erie College has experienced significant growth in donor support including record-breaking fundraising years and the launch of the Now and Forever Campaign, the most comprehensive fundraising campaign in the college's history," the release noted.

It added that she "has brought in multiple million-dollar gifts" and utilized state grants during her tenure.

"She is deeply committed to our mission of providing a quality liberal arts education to our students," said board President Stephen Perry in the news release. "She knows Lake Erie College well and has consistently demonstrated a keen ability to strategize and mobilize support to achieve organizational goals. We look forward to working with her to move Lake Erie College forward and secure a solid future for the college."

Schuller said that as president, she intends to increase fundraising and enrollment to "continue to strengthen the college from a financial perspective."

She noted that the college recently introduced around a dozen new majors, including sport psychology, as well as business- and education-related programs. One of those offerings is the college's new para-teacher pathway.

"We are helping with the teacher shortage in Ohio and across the country by doing a two-year degree completion program," Schuller said. "So, people who have associate degrees who are working in school systems can complete their two years of online coursework through Lake Erie College and get their bachelor's degree, so that they could have their own classroom."

She noted that the college is also working on a new strategic plan.

"That's going to focus more really on our students, and providing the best undergraduate student experience to our students that prepares them for not only their life today, but careers that will probably change tenfold throughout their lives," Schuller said. "So, what does it mean to be not only a new student, but a good citizen of the world?

"Many of the jobs that will exist even five years from now don't exist today, so it's important that we're teaching them skills that will help them be adaptable and open and ready for all the things that life will hand them," she added.

Schuller also noted that the college saw its "largest incoming class in 10 years" last school year, with the possibility of a larger class this year.

"We're looking to just continue to look at things that will attract students to Lake Erie College, building on the success of our athletic programs," she said. "Obviously, the strength of our academic programs is key."

Schuller explained that she was first drawn to Lake Erie College because "there was a lot of opportunity to come and make a difference" in its fundraising efforts. She also expressed her appreciation for the local community.

"I've lived in Portage County for most of my life, and so I've spent the last 20 months poking around Lake County and getting to know not only the campus community, but the greater community, and I've never seen a better synergy between a city — the city of Painesville — and a campus," Schuller said.

She also expressed pride in the fact that she will be the institution's first female president in nearly 75 years, noting that Lake Erie was founded as a women's college.

The news release noted that Schuller has bachelor's degrees in art therapy and painting from Bowling Green State University, as well as a master's degree in higher education administration from Kent State University.

According to her LinkedIn profile, she joined Lake Erie College in September 2021. Prior to that, she had worked at Hiram College since 2005.

She added that she also worked in higher education while a student at Bowling Green.

"I've never worked with a harder-working group of people in our faculty and staff, and I'm just excited to have an opportunity to lead them and to continue to work with them," Schuller added.

Schuller will succeed Brian Posler, who announced in May that he will step down effective June 30. Posler has served as the institution's president since 2016.